The Hunters
by bloodmank
Summary: NarutoxPrince-of-Persia Crossover, I own neither, NaruHina, Hinata disowned eventually, Hope it doesn't end up being a short story. Will try and finish my others, or at least work on them. M for swearing and possible gore. Later!
1. Chapter 1

The Hunters

Ch 1 - Naruto's Clan Comes Calling

_Naruto's 5th year, May 24, The Hokage's Office_

Naruto was sitting in the Hokage's office, frightened at where he had just come from, the marketplace. He had gone there and tried to buy some bred, showing he had the money. The vendor simply took his money and told him he didn't feel like it, and when Naruto took his money back, the vendor had claime that 'The Demon Boy" had stolen the money.

Naruto had been beaten as always, and the Sandaime had arrived, sending all those who had beaten him to Ibiki. Now, Naruto was sitting in Sarutobi's office, when the secretary entered, Sarutobi sending her a questioning look.

"Tori-san, what business do you have entering my office without permission." Sarutobi asked, knowing the secretary was aware of Naruto's presence.

"I saw no _reasonable_ purpose for you to be busy, so, I entered to give you this, it is from the Kitanaisuna [Unclean Sand] Clan." The secretary said, handing Sarutobi the black letter. On the letter was yellow-orange writing.

"Arigatou Tori-san, you may pack your things now, discrimination against a citizen is merit for your removal from the premisces, good day." Sarutobi said, the secretary looking shocked when he had told her that she was fired. Sarutobi looked over the letter carefully as the secretary left. Unfortunately, she had inadvertantly given Sarutobi a headache, in telling the council of the letter before giving it to Sarutobi.

Several seconds later, an ANBU appeared, requesting Sarutobi's presence in the council chambers. Sarutobi would've declined and stayed with Naruto, but something on the letter made him think better of it. He took Naruto's small hand and led him to the council chambers.

-=-

_The council chambers_

Sarutobi entered the council chambers with Naruto, seeming to annoy the council.

"Hokage-sama, we requested your presence, not, _his_." Koharu said, glaring at Naruto.

"Be that as it may, I have more authority on the issue than you do, I am permitted to have any guest I choose at any strictly political matter, this qualifying." Sarutobi said, lifting the letter. "Now, I take it you called me here to hear what is in this letter?"

"Yes Hokage-sama, it is clear that the Kitanaisuna Clan are interested in an alliance with konoha, possibly even relocating here, as that would be the only thing they could want from us." Danzo said, having heard of this clan and how they worked.

"That is most likely not the case given who this is addressed to." Sarutobi said, looking at the letter again.

"Well, who is it addressed to? The Hyuuga or the Uchiha?" Homura asked.

"Excuse me? Why would you think it's either of them?" Sarutobi asked, fairly nnoyed at how pompous the council was being.

"Well, its rather obvious that it would have to be 1 of our nobilities, and they are the only ones taht would fit the bill, so it has to be one of them." Homura replied, thinking it was the simplest thing in the world.

"Well, the problem with that theory is that it is addressed to neither." Sarutobi said. [Before I go into greater detail, I don't own Naruto, or Prince of Persia]

"Well then who could it possibly be addressed to?!" Danzo asked, having no idea who it could be.

"This letter is addressed to 1 Uzumaki Namikaze Naruto." The council froze in fear at those words for 3 reasons. The Kyuubi-Jinchuuriki, for 1, was being called on by Wind Country's most renowned clan, 2, was related to the yondaime as they had been told once before, and 3, that the Kitanaisuna clan had the resources to take information from the sandaime wihtout his knowledge of the event, as they had never recorded it, so the sandaime had the only record of his lineage. Sarutobi continued.

"I am only going to let Naruto read this, but if he wishes, you may know what it reads." Sarutobi said, handing Naruto the letter. Naruto had been uncharacteristically quiet, and upon hearing the name, he had frozen in place as had the whole council. He looked at the letter, and slowly opened it. When he did, he saw that the same writing that was on the front was on the letter itself as well. He read it to himself.

_Dear Naruto,_

_My name is Akki, I'm your second cousin [our grandmothers were sisters], I am sending this to you from the Kitanaisuna clan compound. I think I should teach you of your heritage first, so you can understand why we don't want those popmpous and discriminative konoha citizens having you in their home. Your mother's name was Uzumaki Kitanaisuna Kushina, your grandfather was an Uzumaki, your grandmother a Kitanaisuna, and your father, regretably, was the yondaime hokage. Both of them are dead, and for this I am sorry, but your father's roots in konoha are not strong enough to keep you there._

_Your power is simply too great. Now, if you are anything like an Uzumaki, or a Namikaze for that matter, you absolutely hate reading history, but this is recquired to help you understand things. Your father loved that village with all his heart, and gave his life to defeat the Kyuubi no Kitsune and defend the village. However, he had to sacrifice the lives of 2 souls, 1 soul would leave world of the living, the other would be condemned to hold the soul of the defeated. You see, he did not kill the Kyuubi, he sealed it into your body._

_Now, always remember, you are not the kyuubi, you are its jailor, and it was with a heavy heart that your father sealed it within you. Your father had 2 different wishes for you, one was public, the other was given only to us and the uzumakis. The first that you be seen as a hero, and the second, that we or the uzumakis take you in should his first wish be neglected. Our spies tell us that the second is to be enacted, and since the uzumakis have yet to act, we are sending out for you._

_Now, about our clan. We have several clan jutsus, however, they cannot rightly be called jutsus, for as soon as you awaken your bloodline, you do not need chakra to use the jutsus. I'll get to that when you get here, but our clan history, orignally, we were but 1 person, in an ancient civilization called babylon. Babylon was a Persian kingdom, the persians were a kingdom of thief armies and desert-oriented cities. The last Prince of this kingdom was our clan founder. Persia and the desert landscape around it eventually became wind country, but that is not entirely relevent._

_The Prince, no one ever having been told his name, had started our clan's noteable history when he stole the Toki no Tantou [dagger of time] from another civilization, however, the rest of the army that was there with him had taken what was called the Toki no Suna [Sands of Time] from the kingdom he stole the Toki no Tantou. He was lter tricked into opening the Toki no Suna. The Toki no Suna turned the entire city of babylon into wasteland, monsters of sand being created from the people corrupted by the Toki no Suna. He eventually used the Toki no Tantou, coupled with the hourglass that held the Toki no Suna to manipulate time, stopping the Toki no Suna from ever being opened._

_Later on in his life, regardless of having stopped himself from opening the Toki no Suna, he began being hunted by the guardian of the timeline, known as the dahaka. In order to keep the dahaka from killing him, he traveled back in time to when the Toki no Suna were created. He had reasoned, that if the Toki no Suna were never made, then he would never have manipulated time, and so he set off to do just that and stopped the Toki no Suna from coming into existence._

_When he returned to his home in babylon, he found that while he had been away, due to his changing of the past, his kingdom was now being destroyed in war. He found the one who ws leading the war, and learned that it was the same person who had tricked him into opening the Toki no Suna in the first place. The person in question used the Toki no Tantou to recreate the Toki no Suna, the prince bound by a bladed chain being wielded by a guard of the person who had recreated the Toki no Suna. He became infected by the Toki no Suna as well this time, via the chain binding him in place, and though only the chain was infected, it was now bound to the prince, and the prince was now tainted as well._

_The tainted chain had turned his left arm black, glowing markings the color of this writing appearing on the same arm. He eventually transformed into dark and corrupted version of himself, wielding a chain that would spawn from his left arm, this chain being the same type of chain that he had lodged in his arm, only empowered by the strength he was receiving from the Toki no Suna. As he fought in this state, his strength would constantly wither away, his strength replenishing itself when receiving more of the Toki no Suna._

_He eventually defeated the man who had tricked him, the Toki no Suna vanishing from the records of the world, the Toki no Tantou being hidden by its original creator._

_Most people only know of our incredible skill in battle, but what people don't know is the way our skill works, we gain incredible skill after awakening our bloodline, and should we make a single mistake that causes our death, we can fix this mistake thanks to our bloodline. Someone of the Kitanaisuna is nigh unkillable unless they run out of chakra using jutsus other than our clan jutsus. You must be Invinceable to defeat a member of our clan and live. You can find me in Sunagakure on the 30th of may, you will know which one I am, I will be the only one with our bloodline, the physical manifestation is the left arm of our clan founder, so look for the girl with the black arm._

_Love,_

_Kitanaisuna Akki_

Naruto finished reading the letter, and reread the part about his father's wishes. He was shell-shocked at all that he had learned. He had pretty much just read his grandmother's clan founder's biography. And he had a bloodline also, apparently a very formiddable one. He knew that the council could not learn of what was in this letter, and had decided to go and see his Cousin in Suna.

"Jiji? I need to be in Suna on the 30th to meet my 2nd cousin, can you take me there?" Naruto asked, Sarutobi looking at him strangely. He expected Naruto to be bragging about whatever was in the letter, but it appeared that whatever was on that letter, was important enough for Naruto to want to keep it a secret.

"Sure Naruto, but first, do you want to tell the council what was on the letter?" Sarutobi asked, Naruto shaking his head vigorously.

"The council, and the rest of konoha, didn't do what this letter says tou-chan [I've explained it before, for a male chan is a teasing or nickname, when used for parents however, dad goes to daddy and mom goes to mommy, keep in mind, the kid's only 5] asked, so I'm going to go to my other families. I have the uzumakis, my Kaa-chan's Tou-chan's clan, and these guys, my Kaa-chan's Kaa-chan's clan." Naruto said, Sarutobi accepting the reason. The council was shocked that this boy had such a strong lineage, but hd decided that it explined why he was chosen by the Yondaime for the sealing. The fact that he didn't have the heart to be selfish and ask someone else to sacrifice their child had nothing to do with it in their minds, they saw that power came before principle.

"Very well, at a civilian's pace it will take a week to reach Suna, and as such, we shall leave today. Please send for Hatake Kakashi, Tenzou, Gekkou Hayate, and Uzuki Yuugao, we leave at noon." Sarutobi said, looking at the clock to see that it said 11:30.

-=-

_A week later, on the way to Suna_

"Naruto, I am surprised at your patience, youare very clm at this point and yet, as a 5-year-old, you should be aching to see Suna, is something on your mind?" Hayate asked as he saw Naruto look up.

"Sorry Hayate-san, I think you would know about Kitsune-san, he seems to be a little, well, scared, something to do with awkening my bloodline, but the letter didn't say anything about my bloodline messing with seals. Weird..." Naruto said, Hayate shifting uncomfortably. If the Kyuubi was scared, how strong would Nruto become if the cause of The Kyuubi's fear was the inevitable awakening of Naruto's bloodline?

"As long s he's still in the seal, it shouldn't matter. Look over there, we're almost in Suna." Hayate said, picking Naruto up so he could see better. All 4 of the Jounin along with Sarutobi were on very friendly terms with Naruto, and were both happy and sad that he would probably be living with his family in Kaze no Kuni, but at least he would be among family.

"Yay! I get to meet my family soon!" Naruto was very happy about being able to have family. He was worried about Konoha sure, but he couldn't really see konoha falling. He was pretty sure the Uchihas were going to try and kill him soon anyway. "Hey Jiji, when you get back, could you please tell everyone that I died? The people of Konoha don't need the stress of me being with my family, so could you just say I died?"

"Sure thing Naruto, that's actually very thoughtful of you." Sarutobi said, not wanting to say the boy was dead but seeing how it could calm the nerves of the citizens. s they entered Sun, with the permission of the guards, they proceeded to look for Akki.

-=-

_Sunagakure Marketplace_

The group had been following rumors on someone of the Kitanaisuna Clan being here and had eventually been led here, looking intently for a girl with a black arm with glowing markings. The 5 ninja were baffled when Naruto shouted, pointing to a building off in the distance. That building was the Kazekage mansion.

"Over there!" Nruto saw the glowing markings on the left arm of a 12-year-old girl heading towards the Kazekge mansion nd all of the Konoha-nin, Kakashi picking Naruto up, shunshin'd to the girl, appearing in a few swirls of leaves. Naruto wriggled his way out of Kakashi's grip and rn over to the girl, jumping up nd mnaging to tackle her to the ground.

:"Oof!" The girl hit the sand, surprised little bundle of blonde had knocked her over, but picked him up s she stood, the gears in her head starting to turn. Kid who looked like an orphan, looks like a kid yondaime with whiskers, escorted by Konoha-nins. "Naruto?" The boy smiled even wider, somehow, and she smiled also. "Well, looks like you came like I asked, you want to go to the Clan compound or are you just here for some questions?"

"I wanna live with the rest of you guys!" Naruto said, fairly hyperctive. The girl smiled, looking at the Konoha-nins.

"I'm really very sorry, but you can't follow us to the compound, are you okay with me leaving with Naruto?" The girl asked. "My name's Kitanaisuna Akki, and, quite frankly, while you guys are probably more trustworthy ninja, I can't risk some council lackey of a yamanaka probing your minds for the whereabouts of our clan compound. We aren't a very... forgiving... group of people."

"No problem at all, just make sure Naruto is treated well." Sarutobi said, signaling for himself and his Ninjas to leave.


	2. Chapter 2

The Hunters

Ch 2 - Hinata's Disownment, Council's Fury

_Konohagakure no Sato, Yuuhi Kurenai's apartment_

Hinata sat on Kurenai's couch, huddled into the fetal psition, her 8-year-old body wracked with emotional and physical pain and exhaustion from her father's constant abuse, and recently, her disownment. After her love, Uzumaki Naruto, had left towards Suna to meet with a family of his, the team had returned reporting that they hd gotten separated, and found Naruto dead from heat-stroke.

Her head was spinning, as the honorable council of Konoha had revealed that Uzumaki Naruto held the mighty Kyuubi no Kitsune, and that with the boy's death, the Great Beast had now been sent to hell as it should always have been. Her academy grades fell, her morale dropped, aand now she sat in silent and miserable rage at her father. She wished for all the world that he lost the only thing that was as important to him as Naruto had been for her. His position as a Strong Hyuuga of the Main Branch, she wished her father was a weak and hated member of the Cadet Branch as her dear cousin Neji, Neji being the only person to console her after Naruto's Death, just as she had consoled Neji after his Father's death.

Her tears were for the poor life Naruto had, and her exhaustion was from all the hate she was feeling, causing her to become physically debilitated. Kurenai had come to Hinata after her disownment, and had sworn that she would do something to make Hinata happy, and plunge a thorn the size of Hiashi's ego into the said man's side. As Kurenai re-entered the room with tea and a 6' doll with long dark "Hair", Hinata knew how Kurenai intended to calm her. Hinata saw that The face was drawn in Hiashi's firm, cruel and condescending gaze.

"Hinata, I am going to let you take your frustration out on this dummy, and then, I have a proposition for you." Kurenai said, using her chakra to root the dummy in a standing position. Hinata rose and, having forgone the Hyuuga style when her father found the need to disown her, drew a 6" dagger she had decided she would become skilled with to spite her father. Rather than fighting as a "Noble" Hyuuga,. she would fight as a skilled assassin, her eyes had been ripped out by her step-mother, Hanabi's mother, seeing Hinata, and her late mother for that matter, as a poor excuse for a Hyuuga. When she was offered the eyes of a deceased Hyuuga, she had declined, and requested she be given a set of purple no-clan eyes. She now bore violet pupils, rage shown behind them as she went berserk on the dummy.

If the style she fought in was seen 3 millenia prior, they would say she fought as an angry drunken arab without a kitchen knife.

[36 hours later]

Hinata, finally calmed enough to think straight [I did say she was _**PISSED**_, and I meant it], Kurenai took out a letter from Hinata's first friend, previously thought ded, however, Hinata only knew that the letter was of the Kitanaisuna clan, seeing the black paper and yellow-orange ink.

"Hinata, the reports of Uzumaki Naruto's demise were fabricated by the boy himself, 3 years ago, to put the minds of the villagers at ease. He is live, living under the name that he has chosen to live by, to sever his ties with the ones who left him on his own, he has become known as Namikaze Kitanaisuna Naruto, to honors his parents [in my story, kushina was, at the time of the kyuubi attack, married to minato] and clan. He spites the uzumakis for leaving him on his own, and has sworn vengeance against them, but that is not the point here,

"Hinata, he sent this letter to you, I have not lokoed inside of it, but whatever is in here will probably merit you becoming happy and your ex-father becoming angry, so in a way, you win twice, but if this says anything about you transferring to their clan compound, tell me and only me so that I may get you there as soon as possible." Kurenai explained, handing Hinata the letter. Hinata stared at the letter for a few moments before ripping the envelope holding the letter to shreds. Her disonment had made her rather savage.

_Dear Hinata-chan_

_Hi Hinata=-chan, I'm writing this to you because I have learned something rather interesting. I have been searching my mind for the remembrance of one of my friends, and apparently the Kyuubi that is within me, as I'm sure your council has mentioned to you being in me by now, has jumpstarted my mental and emoitionl maturing. What I'm saying is, certain feelings that I should not start having until my teen years will begin now. Some specialists in my clan can see the future, and they have told me some things that are fairly intertesting, 1 of wchich being tht I will end up facing many battles with someone they called my soul mate. I searched my mind and feelings, knowing tht I felt strongly fo rsomeone, and found that I am feeling some kind of strong emotional attachment towards you._

_I remember meeting you in the park when we were four, and helping you out with those bullies, and then at the academy a year later when we entered, the way you looked at me is stuck in my head. I feel the need to ask, and I know this may cause some complications, but I would like for you to come here to Sun and learn with me. Basically, well, I have found that due to the increase in my emotional maturity I have started to feel, please don't laugh, love for you, and am now virtually asking you to marry me by becoming a part of my clan. Please do not become, detached and find me creepy, but I felt the need to ask. If you accept, please go be at the Kazekage's mansion in Sunagakure in 8 days time. I would go there, but I cannot get into Konoh with my death being my cover story for being here, and I can't send one of our clansmen in my stead, as konoha would probe his/her mind for secrets and use him/her to breed bastardized Kitanaisuna children._

_Love,_

_Namikaze Kitanaisuna Naruto, formerly Uzumaki Namikaze Naruto_

Off to Sunagakure.

-=-

_Sunagakure, 8 days later, noon_

Hinata and Kurenai had just entered Suna and were on their way to the Kazekage's mansion. As they went, they got looks of, as an understatement, severe hatred. Kurenai had a fairly good guess at the reason. They knew that Naruto was alive, his heritage was definitely out in the open here in Suna, the home village of his clan, and there was the fact that the kyuubi's attack, along with its sealing, were now common knowledge, and Konoha was flaunting every little thing they could.

When Kurenai told Hinata of this, she gained a look of complete disgust. She was now very glad that she was going to be relocating here. They reached the Kazekage's mansion in relative peace, seeing Naruto standing out front talking with a red-headed boy who had a happy smile on his face. As they got closer, standing right next to them, they waited patiently for them to finish talking. It was then Hinata noticed that Naruto's arm now bore the appearance of the Kitanaisuna Kekkei Genkai.

"So Yashamaru really did that? Damn, now I owe you 50,000 Ryo, oh well, can't be right all the time." It was then Naruto noticed Gaara looking at 2 people next to him. He saw a woman wearing an odd dress seemingly made of bandages, standing next... to... "Hinata-chan!"

-=-

_Inside the Kazekage's Mansion_

"...And that's why I'm here. As for my training and Kyuubi, well..."

_'Now look at the hole you dug, think, boy, think!'_

"Shut up! Sorry Hinata-chan, this is what I was starting to say, Kyuubi was, for lack of a better term, absorbed by my kekkei genkai, you see, upon activation, we gain a second voice in our head, but since kyuubi was already there, kyuubi was absorbed. Sometimes the voice helps, sometimes it criticizes, but to obtain the next level of my kekkei genkai I have to figure out how to get rid of it." Naruto said, the voice intervening again.

_'Get real! You don't want me gone, you need me and you know it!'_

"I thought I told you to can it! Again, sorry, he's being annoying. Don't worry I'll figure this out soon, but in the mean time, let's get back to the compound. See ya later, Gaara." Naruto said, standing as Gaara waved.

"Goodbye Naruto. Goodbye Hinata-san." Gaara said, smiling.

_**"Kill them, give me their blood, I want their blood!"**_

_'Tough, you can't have it.'_

Hinata waved, Naruto putting his hand on her shoulder, vanishing in a swirl of sand. Kurenai smirked.

_'Keeping his compound hidden by not letting the one that's going back know where it is so no one can enter my mind and find out. Pretty clever, for a kid your age at least, take care of Hinata, Naruto.'_

-=-

_1 year later_

A big shock to the Kitanaisuna clan was exactly what events led up to Hinata's leaving Konoha, and seeing what the final straw, her disownment and removal of her eyes, they had come to a critical decision. They had discovered one way to safely and simply give their powers to an outsider of the clan. The problem was, it was infusing the outsider's blood with a few grains of the Toki no Suna. This would mean that Naruto, while being able to use a higher level of the bloodline by inevitably coming into direct contct with the sands, it would also make the corrupt whisperings of his second voice all the harder to ignore and overcome.

And thus, Naruto had set off to find the Toki no Suna, said to be found in the ruins of what was once called the Toki no Shima [Island of Time], where the sands were created. He had been walking for a month when he finally found what shouldn't have existed in wind country. He saw a large sea, with an Island many miles inward, a rowboat on the edge of the sea. He found some paddles and sat in the boat, pushing off towards the island, hoping that it was the Toki no Shima.

It took him the whole day to get to the Island. He found that there were ruins of what looked to be a large city all over the Island. He had become certain that this was the Toki no Shima, and had continued looking for the Toki no Suna, or even the Toki no Tantou. If he could find the Toki no Tantou he could find the Toki no Suna more easily. He eventually found his way to an altar, where he found a huge hourglass. There were actually priests surrounding the hourglass praying, but when he looked closer, he noticed something the Kyuubi had told him to be on the look-out for before he had been absorbed by the bloodline. The "Priests" were wearing black cloaks with red clouds on them.

_'Akatsuki'_

_'Well? Are you just going to sit there and let them take _your_ prize? Go get them!'_

_'For once, I agree.'_

Naruto charged forward, using a clan jutsu called Osoi Toki [slow time] that slowed everything except for him. He drew a sword he had been carrying with him, a typical blade of his clan, and attacked a "priest" that was standing before the hourglass with a three-bladed scythe on his back. The "priest", though in slowed time, happened to be fast enough in real time to hold Naruto down while he was moving through slowed time. He restrained him by pinning him to the ground with the scythe.

"So, the Kyuubi jinchuuriki is from the Kitanaisuna clan, it figures they would send you here to retrieve the Toki no Suna. Too bad we got here first." The scythe's wielder said mockingly, pulling something from under his cloak. "I am actually here without the rest of Akatsuki's knowledge, I will use the Toki no Suna to become the most powerful being alive, and claim this world in the name of Jashin-sama! And you get to bear witness to this, just hope that the wound from my scythe doesn't kill you, or this will all be for naught!"

The man walked towards the hourglass, pulling out the Toki no Tantou from under his cloak. He placed the blade end into a slot on the side of the hourglass. Naruto had been told of what would happen when this was done, and braced himself. He knew what would happen, and rose, even though the scythe was stuck in him. He didn't have the time to remove it, as the hourglass burst open when the Toki no Tantou had entered the slot. The Toki no Suna bursted out and infected everything that it touched. Naruto jumped, but the end of the scythe was touched, and the infection spread to the blade. Naruto knew that he would have one hell of a time moving with a scythe jutting out of his chest, so he broke off as many blades, being the blades that weren't in him, as well as the pole of the scythe, and looked to the man who had the Tantou.

"I, Hidan, have unleashed the Toki no Suna, and using the Toki no Tantou, will control all of time and give it to Jashin-sama!" Hidan would've continued, if not for the dark cloud that was advancing towards him. he heard what sounded like breathing coming from the cloud. When the cloud reached him, he saw that the cloud was surrounding a monstrous creature.

_**"!eid llahs uoy ,anuS on ikoT eht gninepo roF"**_ The creature bellowed, confusing Hidan.

"Now you've done it." Naruto said, not noticing the glowing from the scythe blade in his chest. "This creature is the Dahaka, it speaks backwards, it said, 'For opening the Toki no Suna, you shall die!'." Naruto picked up his sword, puttin git back in its sheath on Naruto's back, and turned around so he wouldn't have to experience the gruesome scene that was to follow. When he finally heard Hidan stop screaming and the Dahaka stop eating, he turned to see a lake of blood, but no sign of either Hidan or the Dahaka. He went and picked up the Toki no Tantou, putting it in a sheath on his side, taking a bag he had and scooping up some of the Toki no Suna.

_'At last, you have come into contact with the Toki no Suna, now we can take this world for our own...'_

_'You know what? I just learned what bugs me about you.'_

_'And what is that, boy?'_

_'You talk as if you have a say in what I do.'_

_'You don't get it do you? I can take your body whenever I want, all I have to do is overpower your weak, _human,_ mind.'_

_'Try it and see what happens.'_

_'With pleasure!'_

The markings on Naruto's left arm started glowing much brighter, giving off a large amount of light, the arm itself lashing out at his neck. Naruto grabbed it before it could do anything, but black energy started flowing around him as he began levitating slightly. The energy surrounded him, and he soon reappeared in another form. His hair had turned black, as had his skin. The markings that were once on his arm had spread all across his body. Spikes extended out from his forearms [when his arms are hanging at his sides, the spikes point up] and 1 large spike extended from each shoulder pointing in a diagonal direction. A black scythe was now on his back, the blade the same color as the markings on his body, markings of the same style as were on his body appearing in black on the yellow-orange blade. Naruto's eyes were now completely black, as if he had now eyes at all, his eyebrows black as well. He could feel a distinct drain on his already massive Chakra reserves.

_'What have you done to me?!'_

_'Something wonderful.'_

_'Wonderful?! You've turned me into death incarnate, what will Hinata-chan say?'_

_'Who cares? She's just a girl, you can be a god, use the sands and become even more powerful!'_

_'__No! I will not forget about Hinata-chan! And if you don't like it, you can leave!'_

_'Oh come on, Naruto-_

_'Don't you ever call me that you disembodied curse! You hold no power over anything, now leave my thoughts to be my own!'_

Naruto's stomach, where the shiki fuujin was, started glowing, and another copy of Naruto as he was now appeared before him, scythe drawn and ready.

"If you think you can take me, then come and try it, boy!" The Curse-Naruto said, raising the scythe above his head.

**"With pleasure!" **Naruto said, drawing his sword and charging. There was a bright Yellow-Orange flash, and both were gone.

[Naruto's Mindscape]

Naruto found himself and his curse-form in a sewer-like arena. He drew his sword and the Tantou, his curse-form drawing his scythe.

"Why even try? You know you can't win. You don't want to win, you want to embrace my power!" Curse-Naruto said, charging forward, raising the scythe above his head.

"Because, I don't need you, I can use your power to protect Hinata-chan, but without you trying to make me forget her!" Naruto said, charging with his sword in his right hand, the Tantou in his left, holding them out horizontally at his sides. They met at the halfway point, Naruto dodging to the right as Curse-Naruto brought the scythe down, Naruto slashing with the tantou. Curse-Naruto cried out in pain, as Naruto slashed him in rapid succession with his sword and alternating occassionally to using the tantou. Curse-Naruto kept trying to use powerful attacks with the scythe, but found that it took too long to attack with the scythe, and had been beaten a little, well, quickly.

"How?! You aren't strong enough to kill me! This can't happen! I'll kill you even if I have to use the Kyuubi's power!" Curse-Naruto shouted, starting to glow red as the markings started glowing red as well. Naruto turned and began walking towards the only exit, not listening to him.

"I've already beaten you, you're nothing more than a disembodied voice that holds no power. And in fusing with the Kyuubi, you've caused your own death, because when I'm 12, you'll cease to exist, as your soul, while very commanding and cunning, does not have the durability to withstand the seal's purification for as long as the Kyuubi could've. All you've done is removed that thorn from my side before I had to deal with it. Everything is going great, Kyuubi and an Akatsuki member are both gone, and I barely had to do a thing." Naruto said, exiting the mindscape, ignoring the shouting voice of the curse in his mind.

[Real World]

Naruto found himself lying in the sand on the beach of the Toki no Shima, the scythe blade in his chest no longer glowing, but his left arm still gowing as brightly as it had been when he changed. He removed the scythe blade, but jumped slightly when it was absorbed into his arm. The transformation process occurred agian, only this time, he didn't feel any drain on his Chakra as he had before. He walked towards his rowboat that he had left slightly in the water, and changed back as soon as he touched the water.

_'Okay, so, remember, if I want to go back to normal, just get some water, got it.'_

He got into the rowboat and began paddling back to Kaze no Kuni. It took him all the way through the night and into the noon of the next day. He used a new jutsu he had learned from the advanced section in his clan library. It allowed him to instantly move to any place within eyesight. The only thing was that if you didn't have perfect chakra control you would go in the opposite direction, and instead of using no chakra, you would use the same amount of chakra you would use if you made 1000 Kage Bunshins. He had no idea why, but it was better to do things right. He managed to do the technique correctly, and used it over and over until he could see Suna. He moved to right in front of the gates, glad to have finally made it back after that whole episode. His arm was glowing normally and he could feel the curse's futile fighting against the purification.

_'Face it, trash, you've lost, and the price for your arrogance is your "life", if you can even call a disembodied voice a living being.'_

_'I will destroy this seal and when I do you will submit to my power!'_

_'You seem to be forgetting one key fact, and that is the simple fact that it's not your power anymore.'_


	3. Chapter 3

Alright, I know that the rest of the story has been going by quickly, but that was just stuff you might've needed to know that had to be gotten out of the way. Naruto will have control over his sand form, that form will be called the Toki no Suna state, and since in this story the drain on his life and chakra was to feed the second voice, which will now be gone, he will be able to use the Toki no Suna state until he either hits water, or needs to change back. This meaning, Suiton jutsus will become his worst enemy. The daggertail/bladed chain will make an appearance, and Hinata will be as strong as Naruto, just in her own way. Now, here comes the main point of the story, total ownage, Konoha bashing, and Super Naruto Gaara and Hinata. On with teh story! [Be advised, teh is not a typo in this instance]

\-/

The Hunters

Ch 3 - Genin Graduation, The Mission To Wave

_Sunagakure Ninja Academy, 4 Years Later_

Naruto and Hinata had been having a very good life since they came to Suna. Naruto now wore a black version of the traditional white arab pants of his clan with black boots that went halfway up his calf. He wore a tight black sleeveless shirt and his right arm was wrapped in bandages up to the shoulder, all the way down to the second knuckle of each finger.

Hinata's outfit was a little different. She wore the same style pants as she wore in the anime, but they were black, and the exposed part of her legs were wrapped in bandages. She wore a shirt that had no left sleeve, or left shoulder, and had a long sleeve for the right side. The shirt was tight and black like Naruto's, showing her figure. She also had the bloodline active, could transform already, but when she got the second voice, it tried to tell her to forget Naruto. Hence how she could already transform. Her hair was tied back in a ponytail, her bangs and sides of her hair remaining untied, her hair now reaching her waist. She wore a black choker with their clan emblem hanging off it as a pendant, a silver hourglass filled with black sand. Gaara's outfit was the same as in the Anime.

Naruto was sitting in the back of the room with Hinata and Gaara. Today was the day that Suna's Graduation Exam was to take place. The Exam consisted of 3 types of jutsu. Any type of Kawarimi, any type of Bunshin, and any technique that no one in the academy had seen yet, that including techniques the teachers have seen. Naruto wasn't worried in the slightest, their sensei, Midori, a kind man who wielded a katana and, as his name suggests, summons most varieties of bird.

He began calling off names, and eventually, "Kitanaisuna Hinata." [She's in their clan since she's {as of a year ago} betrothed to Naruto and no longer a Hyuuga in anything other than hair color]

Hinata stood and walked to the front, Midori nodding to her. Hinata was very quick already, and given that the transfer of the Toki no Suna into her bloodstream was successful, using Osoi Toki, she could move faster than the eye could see. The fun part about their powers, when they eventually met the sole survivor of the Uchiha Massacre, they would have a defense. Since their speed was derived from Osoi Toki, the sharingan couild not copy it, and due to their strength and speed being mostly derived from their ancestor, a man totally covered in the powers of the Toki no Suna's taint, their skill could not be copied by the sharingan.

Hinata, using Osoi Toki, took an empty chair and placed it where she was, and then began making handsigns for a jutsu Naruto and Gaara had come up with. "Suna Bunshin no Jutsu! [Art of the Sand Clone]" Hinata said, sand coming from a bag she had been carrying forming into a clone of herself, only sand colored. Midori was impressed that they had managed to take an ability that was only possible for Gaara due to Shukaku's sand-manipulation and turned it into a legitimate jutsu. She made 2 handsigns for the last jutsu, something she had come up with during meditation. Glowing sand began to gather in her hand, forming a ball with a glowing sand cloud surrounding it. [The random sand orbs you find throughout PoP - The Two Thrones] "Suna Kata! Kitanai Suna no Kansen! [Sand Style! Infection of the Unclean Sand!]" Hinata said, charging forward. She slammed her hand into Midori's desk, and everyone watched as it began to decay, eventually turning to sand.

"Very good, Hinata. You may take a hitai-ate and return to your seat." Hinata smiled and took a Hitai-ate, tieing [Spelling?] it around her neck. She walked back to Naruto and hugged him as Gaara was called up. Gaara performed the traditional Kawarimi and Bunshin while his other was answered by putting Midori into the Sabaku Kyuu before letting him out, getting congratulated. He removed the metal plate and attached it to the belt keeping his gourd secure. "Namikaze Naruto."

Naruto went to the front and performed the same things as Hinata up until the final test. "I can't very well do my Toki no Suna Henge since Hinata-chan's seen it, so I'm gonna go with what works, and wing it with a new move." Naruto said, spreading his legs wide as he held his right arm tightly with his left. he held his arm downward, palm facing down, focusing his chakra into the shape he needed it while summoning the sand he needed. The sand formed around his hand, forming a claw, before melting together, forming glass. Then, glowing sand covered the glass claw, melting into glowing blue glass. He focused his chakra into the claw, the claw glowing very brightly. "Suna Kata! Toki Kagami Tsume! [Sand Style! Time Mirror Claw!]" Naruto jumped towards the wall, and jabbed his claw into it, ripping through it like a hot knife through butter. Glowing blue marks were left in the wall before the wall around the marks shattered like glass. Midori was amazed.

"Very impressive, Naruto. Try not to let too many people see that move, it's very verstile and could win a war should we get into one." Midori said, motioning for Naruto to take a headband. Naruto let his claw turn back into sand, picking up a headband and removed the metal plate, attaching it to the bandaging on his right bicep. He walked back to Hinata and took a shot in the dark, kissing her. He passed out when she suddenly started trying to french him.

-=-

_Sunagakure Mission Center, 1 month later_

"...Okay, team 9, we have only 1 mission available to you, but it's important, we hav received intelligence that Konoha has sent out Shinobi with a bridge-builder to Wave, we are being commissioned to ensure that nothing happens to them by our ally the Sandaime, as he believes the bridge-builder is not being truthful. Your mission specifics are to tail the Konoha Shinobi and intervene should their situation become comprimised by hired ninjas should they appear to take out the bridge-builder. Do you accept?" The yondaime kazekage, Gaara's father, asked, Gaara, Naruto, and Hinata scoffing at the thought.

"Jiji, you really have to ask? We haven't had an A-rank yet, of course we would jump at the chance for a challenge. Accepted by me, you guys?" Naruto asked. Hinata nodded, and Gaara just held his stoic gaze.

"Otou-san, we accept." Gaara said, Baki looking down at him.

"Very well, you are to leave immediately, stop by the gates for your mission packs and be ony our way." The Kazekage said, team 9 falling apart into sand. "Glad Naruto figured out how to get the Kage Bunshin special ability in the Suna Bunshin by making a small, simple brain of pure chakra in the skull. I've gotta stop talking to myself, send in the next team."

-=-

_Road to Tazuna's Village, Nami no Kuni, 1 hour later_

Team 7 under Hatake Kakashi, consisting of Haruno Sakura, Aburame Shino, and Uchiha Sasuke, had gotten through a tussle with the Oni Doubou [Demon Brothers] of Kiri, and were now on their way to their client Tazuna's home to further their mission. They were going to continue when Shino tackled the client. A second later, Kakashi noticed and shouted for the other 2 to duck. A huge cleaver came out of nowhere, embedding itself in a tree, flying past where their necks were only seconds before. A large gray-skinned man appeared on top of the blade, wearing cow camo arm warmers and large pinstripe pants, bandages covering his face like a mask.

"Hmph, Sharingan no Kakashi, I should've guessed, no wonder the Oni Doubou failed in their quest, what an honor to fight you." The man said, seeming to grin behind the mask.

"Momochi Zabuza, the Kiri no Oni, one of the seven swordsman of the mist, I wish I could say I was glad to be fighting you, but I have to cut you down so that I can get Tazuna-san to his village." Kakashi said, pulling his lopsided headband into a normal position, revealing his sharingan eye.

"Well, looks like you're going to have to take me out a little quicker than you might've thought, because if not," Zabuza began, vanishing, and reappearing swinging a kunai at Sakura, "Who's going to save your students?!" Before he could complete the swing, sand engulfed his arm from out of nowhere. He turned his head, sensing someone behind him, holding Zabuza in place.

"I'm afraid I can't let you kill them, as much as I would like to." The boy said, his arm extended outward, controlling the sand. "My name is Sabaku no Gaara from Sunagakure, you shall die this day." Gaara said in his raspy voice. Zabuza made a water clone and sent it after Gaara. Gaara didn't flinch at all, regardless of Kakashi's screaming for him to move. A second later, when the Zabuza clone was on him, it was pierced by a spear made out of sand. A new voice filled the road.

"You didn't think he came alone did you?" A young female voice asked, Hinata appearing from the bushes. She had a smile on her face, looking at Zabuza with challenging eyes. "Kitanaisuna Hinata, teammate of Sabaku no Gaara, at your service." It was at this time, Haku decided to make an appearance. She [haku's a chick in this one, Gaara has to be with someone, right? And I don't know enough about matsuri to put him with her] sent her senbon into Zabuza's neck, intiating the fake death state. She jumped out of the bushes.

"Thank you for subduing him for me, I will dispose of the body." Satisfied, Gaara dropped his sand, recalling it to his gourd, Haku vanishing with the body. Kakashi's eyes widened a little when he saw who Hinata was more clearly.

"Hyuuga-san, thank Kami, we've been looking all over for you, we request that you return to Konoha under order of the Hyuuga Council." Kakashi said, walking towards her slightly, confident that she would go back with them. That is, until she reappeared in front of him with some kind of bladed chain wrapped around his neck. The chain seemed to extend from her left arm.

"Never call me Hyuuga again, when that family disowned me I left for Suna to be with the boy I love, and now, we are engaged, as my name now suggests. If you ever call me that again, you'll learn a few of the uses of the Tantou Bikou. [Dagger Tail]" Hinata said, recalling the chain into her palm. "We are on a mission to defend you in case your client was lying about the mission difficulty due to a lack of funds, and therefore, we have been tailing you from afar since you left the boat. Our mission is A-ranked, and we will get the credit for the higher difficulty of this mission, as per the agreement between Kazekage-sama and Hokage-sama."

This didn't sit too well with Sasuke, said arrogant prick voicing his opinions. "Listen here, _Woman, _I will not have some runaway _girl_ take credit for my first shot at a high-rank mission. If I have more prestige, I can be given more power, so you will give us the credit for this, or else!"

"Or else, what?" A new voice, a young male one, asked, seemingly angered by the Uchiha's arrogance. [Guess Who] A boy with blond hair appeared, a sword drawn in his right hand and a glowing blue dagger held in the other hand. His eyes were a fierce blue, that seemed like they were more fierce than they should be. "What makes you think that threatening my Fiance is smart? _We_ will take the credit for the higher difficulty of the mission, or we will take the seperate agreement of the next 10 A-rank mission's pay from your team, as per the agreement between our Kage and yours."

"Fiance? What weakling would want a runaway weakling as his fiance?" Sasuke asked, Naruto appearing before him with his sword's tip directly in front of the Uchiha's eye.

"I wonder, would Itachi mind if I finished what he started by removing the last person aside from him with the Sharingan?" Naruto asked, his eyes starting to bleed to black from the outer-edges of the whites of his eyes. "I am Namikaze Kitanaisuna Naruto, the 2nd of my clan to ever unleash the Toki no Suna state, it is not wise to anger me."

"So, it's the Kyuubi-Brat, there's a nice bounty on your head since the council learned of your survival after word of Hidan's death spread. They said that it was Namikaze Naruto, and apparently, you really are my sensei's son, it is unfortunate you are tainted by the demon within you." Kakashi said, drawing a kunai and charging Naruto. The Markings on Naruto's left arm blasted out light of the same color as the markings, his shirt and bandages vanishing as the marks spread like Orochimaru's Juin. As the marks moved, his skin turned black, spikes appearing as explained in ch 2, Naruto putting the dagger away as a scythe started materializing. As all this happend, a whirlwind of dark energy swirled at Naruto's feet. Naruto grabbed the now menacing and cursed-looking scythe, kicking Sasuke down and turning to Kakashi.

**"Kyuubi has been absorbed by my kekkei genkai, this is the highest power of my kekkei genkai, the Toki no Suna state, using the full strength of the infection our clan founder received via the Toki no Suna. We are not here to fight you, accept our conditions or face the consequences of turning away our help."** Naruto said, Kakashi stumbling back when he heard this was a kekkei genkai. The appearance was so fierce and powerful, yet so, corrupt. He was sure that this was the Kyuubi's doing.

"Liar! This is no Kekkei Genkai! This is the Kyuubi's doing!" Kakashi said, scared for his life.

**"Hehehehehe, arrogant fool, can't believe that there is a kekkei genkai so much more powerful than that eye of yours? Look at the chakra yourself, I know you can see chakra, you just can't see the chakra network, look at my chakra and tell me it's The Kyuubi's chakra! You can sense it yourself, can't you? This form does not hold the anger and malice the Kyuubi radiated as if it were blood from a fresh wound, this was born of dedication to make my fiance more powerful, you cannot deny that this is my own chakra!!!"** Naruto shouted, a frightening grin on his face. Hinata, while she would've been afraid 5 years ago when she was still a Hyuuga, was reveling in Kakashi's terror, induced by her own Fiance.

Kakashi's eyes widened even more when he saw that it was indeed Yellow-Orange Chakra, not red. It wasn't the Kyuubi's chakra, but then, what kind of chakra was it? "That might not be the Kyuubi's, but it certainly isn't yours, human chakra isn't that color."

**"Just as Hatake Sakumo's chakra was not white? Do you forget why he was called the white fang? This is the kekkei genkai of the Kitanaisuna clan at its fullest, the corruption of the Toki no Suna, completely under our own control!" **Naruto was a little anxious to mess with Konoha for their mistreatment. He had half a mind to follow Itachi's example and kill off all but one of the Hyuuga clan. And the one he would leave, was not technically a Hyuuga anymore. Naruto pulled out a canteen and splashed some water on his face, a blue whirlwind rising from the ground and engulfing him. He became visible again in his normal human state.

"Hm, it seems water negates this power, that is something that you ought not have let me know. I know many suiton ninjutsu." Kakashi said, a slightly maniacal grin apparent through his mask.

"That's where I come in," Hinata began, pulling out and opening her own canteen, "I have completely mastered the art of water manipulation, the only thing I don't do is make water from the hydrogen in the air, doing so is a waste of my chakra, regardless of how vast Naruto-kun's kekkei genkai has made my reserves." Hinata moved the water out of the canteen, had it fly around Naruto's head, and return to the canteen. "It doesn't help your odds when you take into account the fact that I can enter the Toki no Suna state as well."

Sasuke was fuming. This power was incredible, it could easily allow him to kill his brother, he should have this power, _he_ was the Uchiha, this amazing power should be his. That's when he got an idea. "If this is a kekkei genkai, then how did this ex-hyuuga get it?"

Naruto grinned, knowing the Uchiha would want to know. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

Sasuke only got angrier, and before he could charge at Naruto, Tazuna shouted out.

"I'M PAYING YOU KONOHA SHINOBI TO PROTECT ME, SO CUT THE CRAP OR I'LL GIVE MY MISSION TO THOSE TWERPS!" Taunza shouted, angry about his protection getting wrapped up in personal affairs. "Let's just get to my house so that we can be done with this, okay?"

-=-

_Tazuna's House_

Inari, Tazuna's grandson, had been glaring at the Konoha and Suna nins, thinking they were trying to be heroes. Finally, he lashed out.

"Why do you even try to go against Gatou?! You'll never win, you'll be killed!" Inari shouted, tears starting to form.

"Gatou is nothing but a coward, hiding behind the strength of others, he flaunts his money and who he is, sucking the life from the hard-working people of this country. I won't have it." Naruto said, Gaara speaking next.

"If not for Naruto, I would probably have killed you for breaking the wonderful silence we had, I would be a much more terrible moster than Gatou, I would be a monster that gave my entire existence to killing those who even slightly annoyed me, Gatou is no better, while I would've given in to the sin of wrath, he has already given in to the sin of greed, he shall die." Gaara was always a little cryptic while getting straight to the point. Hinata took her turn.

"We aren't trying to take on an army of stronger ninja, our abilities allow us to enter a fight and exit a fight the same as we had been when we left the shower. Only someone with incredible strength and skill could take us down individually, as a team, no one person can defeat us, not even an army of Uchiha Sasuke's could take us down at full power, what will a single A-rank missing-nin like Momochi Zabuza do? Gaara alone could've killed him." Hinata said, Kakashi stepping against the Suna-nins.

"I highly doubt you are that powerful, Sasuke is an exceptional ninja, and I doubt you _genin_ could defeat Zabuza, he is about as strong as me." Kakashi said, Naruto scoffing.

"Zabuza wouldn't have gotten caught in Hinata-chan's tantou-bikou." Naruto said, sipping his tea as Kakashi glared at him. "A simple glare won't do anything to me Kakashi, when he was still in my gut, Kyuubi-teme was _so_ much more intimidating." Kakashi would've started another fight if he didn't sense Hinata's anger. Considering that with that lithe and slender tantou-bikou of hers, and the fact he couldn't get in a good jutsu with the family there, he would be dead before he could make the second seal for the Chidori.

"Uzumaki, you would do well to know your place!" Kakashi said, feeling Naruto's tantou on his neck, the sheer power of the tantou crippling Kakashi.

"Those fools are either traitorous and deserve to be ignored, or dead and deserve to be respected, you will neither address me by that name, nor say it with spite, for regardless of their intentions, alive or dead, my Okaa-san was an Uzumaki, and if you disrespect her, as far as I'm concerned, you disrespect the Namikaze, the Uzumaki, _and_ the Kitanaisuna. _You _would do well to know when you're outmatched, my abilities exceed the Hiraishin in combat efficiency as I can teleport anywhere within eyesight on a whim, no chakra recquired, as well as slow time with the exception of myself, I could kill you as painfully as I wanted and you would be none the wiser until it hit you in the afterlife." Naruto said, Kakashi resisting the urge to gulp at the sheer rage in the boy's voice. "Tazuna-san, my teammates and I are going to be returning to our campsite to rest with our sensei, have a good night."

And with that, Naruto and Hinata vanished, Gaara vanishing in a swirl of sand.

-=-

_The Next Day_

Naruto was in the forest with Hinata, just enjoying the exotic feeling of being away from Suna. For as long as he could remember, he was either being beaten in Konoha, or taught in Suna. As he and Hinata walked, they heard Kakashi talking to Team 7. He was explaining the tree climbing exercise. Naruto scoffed.

"Nowhere near as annoying as how Baki-sensei taught us the water-walking exercise. Or painful. I remember almost falling in, man, falling into molten sand would not have been good for my health." Naruto said, Hinata smiling.

"They're _Konoha_ genin, what do you expect? I mean, really, they leave their genin weak and overpower their jounin, and then say that their ninja populace is the greatest, whereas our quality by _far_ outclasses theirs, we could win a war with them if we had a little more ninja, like another 3 at Kazekage-sama's level, and Konoha would burn to the ground." Hinata said, a little annoyed as she listened to Kakashi's teamwork bullshit.

"Wanna mess with 'em?" Naruto asked, Hinata grinning as she started out of the foliage.

_Out in the clearing_

"What are you 2 doing here?" Kakashi asked, annoyed at them seeing his training methods.

"Just checking to see what kind of skill we would have to work with should a fight break out later on. Not too impressed if you're only now teaching tree-climbing." Naruto said, Kakashi raising an eyebrow.

"And what skills do you know? I can guarantee you don't have any non-kekkei-genkai skill that I can't perform." Kakashi said, arrogant through his attainment of the Sharingan.

"I can guarantee that I can do 3 non-clan jutsus that you can't." Hinata said, Kakashi smirking beneath the mask.

"Deal." Kakashi said, waiting for Hinata to pull out her jutsus. Hinata made ten handsigns in a few seconds, her eyes closed. She opened her eyes quickly, revealing eyes that had the whites of them turned black, and the retina was a circle the color of her left arm's marking, a thicker dot in the place of her pupil, bearing the same color. Kakashi got annoyed, "I thought you said no clan-jutsus."

"I did, this is an original doujutsu that anyone can use, you don't have to have Naruto-kun's kekkei genkai to use it. All it does is allow for someone to use Gaara's fighting style, we're still working on turning it into a kekkei genkai jutsu." Hinata said, water forming in the air and floating around her protectively. "It does this by calling on a familiar spirit of yours, should you have one, and giving them a surrogate form to operate in your elemental affinity, acting defensively as Gaara's sand does, until you command that form to do something else, Gaara's familiar is someone who has been lost to him for awhile, mine is my Okaa-san, taking shape in the affinity that I inherited. You do not know the jutsu, and the handsigns are just for the simple part of the jutsu's manipulation, the summoning, the element manipulation is something you have to do all on your own. We call it the Reikeibigan [Spirit Guard Eye]. A bonus, even if we don't manage to make it a kekkei genkai jutsu, it can't be used if the user already has a doujutsu."

"Okay, that's one, you still have to pull out 2 more." Kakashi said, angered a fair deal at this powerful doujutsu escaping his grasp, or rather, Sasuke's. Hinata made six handsigns, keeping her doujutsu active.

"Suna Kata! Kanshisha-Rei Rinji Sosei! [Sand Style! Guardian-Spirit Temporary Rebirth!]" Hinata said, the water gaining mass and taking the shape of a woman. It began to gain detail, before it started gaining coloring. "This technique takes longer than what I based it off of, but it is powerful nonetheless. This is based off of the Mizu Bunshin technique, and it takes your familiar spirit and gives it a host body in a clone of your element. This technique is especially interesting with Naruto-kun, given who it forms, and the fact it forms them into a new technique I'm about to show you." Hinata said, the perfect clone of her mother now looking at Kakashi hatefully.

"Hinata-chan told me about your stupidity last night, what would your old teammate say if he found that you were bullying your sensei's son? I can kill you right now, this jutsu, not to Hinata-chan's prior knowledge, gives me my chakra network from while I was alive, I can kill you and I won't lose my host body until after I lose the chakra that I have, if you kill the clone, it will reshape in my form again, I could kill you and you could do nothing to stop me." The Clone said, turning to Hinata and smiling. Hinata hugged the clone and told her that she was sorry about calling her out for seemingly no reason. Hinata let go of the Reikeibigan and made a single handsign. It was the handsign for bird.

"Fuuton: Kaze Bunshin! [Wind Release: Wind Clone!]" Hinata stood as a perfect clone of her appeared after a quick breeze blew by. Hinata let her tantou-bikou extend and lashed out at her clone, wrapping it in the tantou-bikou, and pulling it closed around her clone, the clone losing its detail and turning gray, turning into a whirlwind that burst outward, the tantou-bikou unraveling. "Naruto-kun's Kaze Bunshin is the same as a Kage Bunshin only it doesn't give you what the clone learned and it releases a Fuuton: Daitoppa in all directions once dispersed."

Sasuke was furious, having only seen the last one, but being angered by some suna trash having a technique that might one day be useful against Itachi. He could have a Kaze Bunshin form behind Itachi and kill itself to send Itachi into a potentially fatal blow.

"Well, looks like you win, congrats, now will you leave?" Kakashi asked, starting to get annoyed with their presence.

"Sure, but start these guys on water-walking soon, we're really going to need these guys to be stronger than this by the time we get to a battle." Naruto said, he and Hinata vanishing from sight.

{Okay, this Chapter's done, but if you need an idea on how Naruto and Hinata look as they appear wherever they're going, it's how the enemies teleported in front of you in the prince of persia games. Later pplz!}


	4. Chapter 4

Alright, I am pointing this out now, if you've been reading this from the start, like, from when I began the story, then reread chapter one and you'll see that I cut Kakashi out of it.

\-/

The Hunters

Ch 4 - The Battle On The Bridge, Chuunin Exams Begin

_Zabuza's Hideout_

"You've got some kind of guts to show your face around here after being bested by some _children!_" Gatou said, angered at Zabuza's incompetence.

"I was not expecting a secondary squad of Ninja, I was taken by surprise because I was paying attention to a more powerful opponent, it shall not happen again, Haku, go and find my other apprentice, we are in need of his assistance." Zabuza said, Haku vanishing as she nodded her head. "I will have those ninjas dead soon enough, and when they're gone, you _will_ pay me."

"Just make sure you get them!" Gatou said, leaving with his samurai guards.

_'I wonder if those fools realize just how weak they really are.'_

-=-

_Tazuna's Home, 3 days past the Zabuza encounter_

Naruto, Hinata, and Gaara were sitting in Tazuna's living room, Kakashi having insisted that anything that happened could be well handled by his own skills, and that they should just leave. Gaara's response was that he didn't trust someone who has only one skill of his own with the only hope for an entire country, and had said that they would be at his home protecting him until he headed out to the bridge, and would accompany him there to ensure his protection. Team 7, Kakashi not wanting to be outdone, would train just outside the house until they left and accompany them to the bridge.

Tazuna came downstairs ready to get to working on the bridge and they set off to do just that. Konoha Team 7 saw them come outside and Suna Team 9 saw how the training was going. Kakashi was training Sasuke with his own personal weights, Sakura was fawning over Sasuke, and Shino, well, he was nowhere to be found, but they had simply assumed he didn't enjoy the Uchiha pampering and went to go better himself alone. Naruto sent a Kaze Bunshin to go and find him. He had recently perfected the Kaze Bunshin, giving it the special ability of the Kage and Suna Bunshins.

"Hatake, I would suggest that you train your whole team equally, 2 men does not a team make, and 2-man teamwork is nowhere near as effective as four-man teamwork." Gaara said in his monotone-raspy voice, Kakashi raising an eyebrow. "Tell me, Hatake, do you know why we call Baki Sensei?"

"Because he is your elder and deserves your respect, as wella s a more powerful ninja than the 3 of you." Sakura said, giving a textbook answer.

"I asked Hatake, do not speak out of line again, Haruno." Gaara said, Sakura being heavily intimidated by the annoyance in Gaara's voice.

"Her answer was as good as any." Kakashi said, Gaara closing his eyes.

"We call Baki Sensei because he is our teacher, not our better, he gets respect because he earned it, when we became genin he did not test us, he asked us to test him to see if he was the teacher we needed. He earned our respect by treating us as if we were on equal status to him, we give him the acknowledgement he deserves as our teacher, and he gives us the acknowledgement we deserve as his comrades. This is why our alliance is on thin ice, Hatake, Konoha must learn that respect and hatred are to be earned through actions of the respected or hated individual, not of someone tied to that individual, not a clan-name, not jinchuuriki status, the actions of the individual. Suna has learned this, Konoha ignores this, you would do well not to cross us, just because I am not the Shukaku himself does not mean I don't bear his prowess." Gaara explained, Kakashi waving him off.

"Jinchuuriki cannot be trusted, as their demon may have corrupted them, Uchihas are to be respected, as they are inherent of great power." Kakashi said, Sasuke standing with a smug look.

"And people wonder why Konoha is rotting." Hinata said, completely disgusted by Kakashi's arrogance. "I'm glad I'm no longer a holder of the byakugan, I am now clearer of mind than I probably would be with _your_ attitude Hatake."

"Do not speak unless spoken to, _girl._" Sasuke said, finding a large gash in his chest. He screame dout in pain, Kakashi and Sakura rushing to his side.

"Do not speak unless spoken to, _vermin_." Naruto said, wiping the blood off of his sword before putting it back in its place on his back.

"What the hell is wrong with you, you loser?!" Sakura shouted, glaring at Naruto.

"He is being a sexist bastard, he is nowhere near Hinata-chan's level, and yet he continually insults her, I won't have it." Naruto said, Sasuke glaring at him as well.

"I could kill that little bitch of yours, I _should_ kill her!" Sasuke said, throwing a kunai at her. He found that kunai in his leg.

"You think _you_ could kill me? You couldn't kill me if you could use your yondaime's Hiraishin, much less kill Itachi." Hinata said, being mildly annoyed at Sasuke's stupidity. "Just shut up, or I'll end your ninja career, one little slice to the achilles tendon and you'll never walk again." Sasuke shut up as Hinata, Naruto, Gaar, and Tazuna all started towards the bridge. Seeing as Tazuna had more competent guards than Konoha Team 7, he was willing to take his time.

-=-

_Zabuza's Hideout, 3 Days After The Respect Thing_

Haku had returned, a boy about her height carrying a katana at his left side with normal brown hair next to her. He wore normal civilian's clothing. "What do you need, boss?"

"We have an unforeseen obstacle in our mission to take out the bridge-builder, 3 Suna-Nins, they are each stronger than Kakashi, I need you to be able to take them and the arrogant dark-haired Konoha-genin down while Haku takes out the other 2 before helping you out." Zabuza said, the brown-haired boy nodding. "We strike tomorrow."

-=-

_The Next Day, On The Bridge_

Both Konoha Team 7 and Suna Team 9, minus Naruto and Hinata who were defending Tsunami and Inari, were on the bridge, Baki included. They had anticipated that Zabuza was still alive individually, Kakashi wanted the Suna Team to be in over their heads and die so they could have their credit, and Baki wanted for the Konoha bastards that dared keep information from his comrades to be surprised when they were better prepared for Zabuza's return. Suna Team 9 had anticipated that Zabuza would be attacking today with at least 2 extra high level opponents. The Hunter-Nin, and an additional enemy.

Kakashi was only anticipating the Hunter-Nin, expecting Zabuza to underestimate them and let it be his undoing, but the Suna Team knew that Zabuza was smarter than that. He would bring at least one extra high-rank ninja to handle their team, to help even the odds, however, they knew that he didn't know about Baki, so that would tip the odds in their favor, or even them if he brought 3 high-rank ninjas with him.

A heavy mist rolled in, all the workers having been told that this was their cue to ditch the bridge. Tazuna ran as well, so that he could be sure that he wouldn't get in the way.

-=-

_Tazuna's Home, At That Time_

"LET HER GO!!!" Inari shouted, lunging at the men who were taking his mother. He had sent Naruto and Hinata away to let him calm down after getting angry about them thinking they could take Gatou down. The one that wasn't holding his mother pulled out his sword with a vile grin.

"Hey, do we need this one? I wanna cut him down." The man said, pulling his sword back.

"Nope, go ahead and take him out." The second one said, the first raising his sword above his head. A chain came out of nowhere and wrapped around the sword, pulling it out of the man's hand. Naruto appeared in between them, cutting the head off of the first one with his sword and stabbing the second one in the back of the head with the tantou.

"Sorry, can't let you do that. And now that they're taken care of, let's get to the bridge." Naruto said, Hinata appearing next to him as they both vanished.

-=-

_Back On The Bridge_

"Zabuza, I thought you were still alive, but I didn't expect the civilian, why's he here?" Kakashi asked, Zabuza scoffing while Baki looked at him in a bored manner.

"Hatake, that is no civilian, civilians neither wield katanas, or bear the chakra of a hanyou." Baki said, Zabuza raising an eyebrow while Kakashi stared as hard as possible at him.

"And how would _you_ know what a hanyou's chakra felt like? Something about your students your not saying?" Kakashi asked, Baki looking at him while scoffing.

"I have a jinchuuriki and an Oni expert as teammates, Naruto says that a hanyou's chakra feels like the chakra of a demon-possessed jinchuuriki, he explained this after Gaara let Shukaku have control to kill off a few rogue ninja that had tried to kidnap his sister, Temari." Baki said, the "civilian" looking at him with a toothy grin.

"Very good, sir, yes, I am a hanyou, so, your student-

"Comrade." Baki interrupted.

"Comrade, is the jinchuuriki to the Ichibi, well, I am the decendant of the Shichibi no Ryuu when he fell in love in his human form, I shall fight the jinchuuriki, Zabuza-sama." The boy said, Zabuza nodding his head.

"No, you will fight me, I want to see how my power measures up against a hanyou to the third strongest demon out there." Sasuke said, Gaara having no qualms.

"In that case, I will fight the hunter-girl, Haruno, Shino [Shino never did anything to them, why be mean?], please stand back and be on the lookout for further enemies." Gaara said, moving away from the group as Haku did the same, standing opposite him.

"Looks like that leaves Zabuza for the 2 of us, eh Baki?" Kakashi asked, pulling his hitai-ate back into a normal position.

"Looks that way." Baki said, activating the Kaze no Ken no Jutsu [Art of The Blade of Wind]. Naruto and Hinata were waiting in the shadows. They wanted to watch the Uchiha get his ass handed to him, and then appear to save the day. They knew Gaara would be able to hold his own, and so, he was going to be left alone.

{Gaara vs. Haku}

"I am sorry we must settle things this way, but I am loyal to Zabuza-sama, and will do everything in my power to help him reach his goal." Haku said, redaying her senbon. Gaara's cork flew out of his gourd.

"I apologize if I kill you accidentally, hopefully I will be able to keep my head and simply take your consciousness for a few hours, rather than take your life." Gaara said, sand pouring out from around him. "In this instance, I feel that I should be more careful. You attack with speed, whereas I defend with my sand, it shall be interesting seeing who wins this match."

"Indeed."

{Sasuke vs. "Civilian"}

"So, care to tell me the name of the demon-spawn I'm about to kill?" Sasuke asked, his arrogance flaring considerably.

"I am Ryu, I was named after my ancestor, now, let us begin this battle." Ryu said, pulling his katana out, showing it was made up of a shimmering blue metal. "This si the sword made from one scale off of my ancestor's tail, Ryu Kuraitoru [Dragon Scale]."

{Kakashi & Baki vs. Zabuza}

"No one sees my Sharingan twice and lives, this is your end, Zabuza!" Kakashi said, drawing a kunai from his pouch.

"Careful, Hatake, Gaara subdued him last time, we still don't know what all he's capable of." Baki said, Zabuza smirking.

"I am glad that one of you is smart enough to take me seriously, after all, 2 heads are worse than 1 if the heads disagree!"

{Gaara vs. Haku}

Haku threw her senbon at Gaara, Gaara's sand blocking the senbon as Haku threw more, attempting to have enough speed to get around his guard. After running and attacking for a few seconds, she noticed some of Gaara's sand head over to solid ground and start grinding into the ground. Her eyes widened when she realized what he was doing.

"I see you figured out my plan, I am going to grind the earth over their into sand for me to use in my attacks. You have very nearly lost this battle." Gaara said, a huge wave of sand returning to him. "I find you to be a worthy opponent, tell me, what is your name? I wish to know it in case our quarrel should end before one of us dies."

"I am Haku, I will follow Zabuza-sama wherever he leads me, so long as he is your enemy, I am as well." Haku said, Gaara closing his eyes and forming 10 handsigns.

"That is a shame, that one such as you must fight one such as me, your eyes bear the same loneliness mine did before Naruto and Hinata came, let us continue our battle, Haku-san, Reikeibigan." Gaara said, revealing the dark eyes his friends had allowed him to use. "Suna Kata. Kanshisha-Rei Ginji Sosei." His sand took the shape of a woman before details were etched in, color forming other than the color of sand, showing a light-brown-haired woman wearing standard Suna Jounin clothing. She looked similar to an older Temari. "This is Karura, my Okaa-san, thanks to Naruto and Hinata I was able to finally meet her face-to-face, even though she has been defending me through the sand for many years." Karura smiled at Gaara, and turned a hard-gaze at Haku.

"Your attacks have not pierced my defense, and they shall not do so, in this form, my control is increased ten-fold, and even though my spirit is already highly adept in controlling the sand through the Tanuki, I can still increase the speed at which it travels!" Karura raised her arm, the sand launching at Haku 5-times as quickly as before. Haku dodged out of the way, barely escaping its grasp, however, Gaara, having long since dropped his heavy gourd, increasing his speed a good deal, appeared where she was about to land, a sand colored halberd with blue and red vein-like markings along the leangth of the blade itself.

"Shukaku no Yari! [Spear of the Shukaku!]" Gaara said, stabbing at Haku only for Haku to burst into water. Haku reappeared with her hands in a weird symbol, her hands clasped together apart from the two first fingers, both of which extended outward, the middle finger twisted backwards around the forefinger.

"I'm sorry, but it is time to end this, Hijutsu: Makyou Hyoushou! [Hidden Art: Demonic Ice Mirrors!]" Haku said, mirrors forming around the three figures fighting.

"Looks like this just got a whole lot harder, wouldn't you say Musuko?" Karura asked, Gaara looking around at the reflections of Haku staring back at them.

"Indeed."

[Sasuke vs. Ryu]

Sasuke was running from Ryu's devastating attacks. He was far more adept in katon jutsus than he was, and his katon jutsus were all blue, that was what really messed with Sasuke.

"You're lucky I don't have my sharingan yet, otherwise these attacks would be coming back at you." Sasuke said, throwing his kunai and shuriken at Ryu as he ran.

"It wouldn't matter, this power comes from my ancestor, only I can use this power!" Ryu said, a huge wall of blue flame rushing at Sasuke. "You will die the instant you get hit!"

{Kakashi & Baki vs. Zabuza}

Baki had activated his Kaze no Yaiba and was charging at Zabuza, said man pulling out his sword. Kakashi was hanging back preparing a katon jutsu, and launched it off. Baki was directly in the line of fire however. Baki saw his shadow extending and dodged to the side, a huge fireball passing by. Baki turned and glared at Kakashi, who responded by sending another katon jutsu at Zabuza. Baki followed behind it, and when Zabuza dodged it, he lashed out, catching Zabuza's left fore-arm, cutting the apendage off.

"Watch it Hatake!" Baki shouted, lunging back out of the way of another Katon jutsu. "You're fighting water with fire, don't you have any Raiton to pull out of that eye you got?!"

"Raiton is too precise and Chakra-consuming, I could miss. However, if you can hold him still or get one of his legs we're in business." Kakashi said, Baki charging again.

"Finally some progress, back me up with those Katons, if I'm ready for them I have an advantage over him, use the more discreet ones and hide them behind me while I charge!" Baki said, Kakashi using Katon: Housenka as Baki approached Zabuza.

{Gaara & Karura vs. Haku}

"Suna no Ame! (Rain of Sand)" Karura said, raising her arms towards the spaces in between the mirrors. Gaara was wielding the Shukaku no Yari, avoiding the senbon and counter-attacking every chance he got. The sand rose and shot out like tiny bullets at every space Haku could land in, getting lucky enough to have launched the attack as Haku was returning to her mirrors. Haku fell toward the ground, Karura trapping her with the sand, Gaara breathing out a heaving sigh out of exertion.

"Thank you, Okaa-san." Gaara said, the Shukaku no Yari dissolving.

"Anytime, Musuko. Do you think you can hold her from here, or do you want me to stay for awhile?" Karura asked, Gaara sitting in a lotus position.

"I can hold her, but I would like you to stay for awhile anyway. It would be wise to keep an eye on her, and I have never disliked your company." Gaara said, Karura sitting down next to him. "Haku-san, due to the predicament we have found ourselves in, my hopes are that Zabuza-san's quarrel with Tazuna-san is ended before Hatake-san does saomething irreversible. Not to say that I wish for a missing-nin to kill a Konoha-jounin, but I would prefer Zabuza, and by extension you, live to see another day."

"I find that very kind of you, Gaara-san, but I doubt that our quarrel will end quickly enough for that to occur." Haku said, trying to look through the mist to see Zabuza.

{Sasuke vs. Ryu}

"Die, Uchiha! Let me see your blood!" Ryu shouted insanely, slashing wildly, blue flames flying everywhere. Sasuke took advantage of his crazed state and formed a few hand seals, Ryu slashing down on him.

"Doton: Shinju Zanshu no Jutsu! (Earth Release: Art of Inner Decapitation)" Sasuke said, vanishing into the ground. Ryu looked around in confusion for a second, coming out of his craze just a second too late. He was pulled under ground, Sasuke popping out in his place. He made 3 handsigns, Ox, Rabbit, and Monkey, thrusting his left arm downward. Lightning formed in his palm, his chakra all going into this last jutsu. He raised his arm, and then brought it down and through Ryu's head. "Chidori!!!"

{Kakashi & Baki vs. Zabuza}

"Doton: Kuchiyose Tsuiga no Jutsu! (Earth Release: Art of the Summoned Tracking Fang)" Kakashi said, slamming his hands into the ground. Splits in the ground rushed out after Zabuza who had his hands full dealing with Baki and his Kaze no Yaiba. Large dogs came up out of the ground, latching onto Zabuza, holding him in place as Baki took out Zabuza's amrs and legs. Baki allowed the Kaze no Yaiba to dissipate, Kakashi relaxing as they had finally managed to stop Zabua's ability to move, much less fight.

Kakashi was about to prepare to finish Zabuza when he heard clapping coming from the other end of the bridge.

{With Naruto & Hinata}

"That's our cue to kill, let's go Hinata-chan." Naruto said, grabbing Hinata's hand and activating his Osoi Toki as she did the same. He drew his sword as Hinata drew a wicked looking knife, seeming to glow an orange-aura.

"After you, Naruto-kun." Hinata said, Naruto and herself charging forward simulatanneously.

{The Bridge as a Whole}

"Well done, you've all worn youselves out and Zabuza is almost dead. One of his little buddies is dead too! Hahahahaha! Now I just have to get rid of you, and I won't have to pay any of you! all these thugs cost less than you did!" Gatou said, his little sunglasses reflecting the mist. They also reflected Naruto and Hinata's blades coming straight at his face.

"Sorry it took so long, we were a little busy eating lunch." Naruto said, flicking Gatou's blood off of his sword. Hinata summoned up her Tantou-Bikou, swirling it over hers and Naruto's heads, taking out about 15 thugs.

"Whoever gets less kills pays for dinner when we get home." Hinata said, attacking all the thugs she could see. Naruto, grumbling about her getting a head-start, starting slashing through thugs as fast as he could. Unfortunately for him, he was suited to single enemy combat, she was suited to multi-enemy combat. Either way, he started using every wind jutsu he knew to try and catch up. He decided now would be a good time to use his modified wind jutsu.

"Hinata-chan, get down!" Naruto shouted, making the handsigns for Fuuton: Daitoppa, adding Rat to the end. "Fuuton: Daitoppa no Setsudanki! (Wind Release: Guillotine of the Great Breakthrough)" Naruto shouted, gripping his sword and spinning rapidly. The Fuuton: Daitoppa took effect, then adding the Setsudanki, thick, howling blades of wind chakra sailing through the air in every direction. Every non-thug was smart enough to get down, all the thugs getting chopped to bits. Hinata stood back up, pouting at Naruto.

"You never said we could use jutsu." Hinata said, sad about losing her own challenge.

"Hahahahaha, don't worry, Hina-chan, I'll pay anyway." Naruto said, Hinata brightening back up as she hugged him. "So what'd you think of my new jutsu?"

"Do you think you could teach it to me?" Hinata asked, smiling sweetly at him.

"You wouldn't be able to do it right, you're a water-type, remember?" Naruto asked, Hinata smirking at him.

"That's what you said about the Kaze Bunshin, remember?" Hinata asked, Naruto sighing.

"We'll talk about it later, okay?" Naruto said, noticing Sasuke pulling himself over to Naruto as best as he could.

"Why, why are you so much stronger than me?! How are you so much better than me?!?!" Sasuke shouted, anger and jealousy showing themselves rather well.

"That would be telling, wouldn't it?" Naruto asked, walking away with Hinata hanging off of his arm. "I have my secrets, I'll tell you one of them. Work hard, never assume that you're better than anyone else, use everything you can as a drive to get stronger. I used my need to protect my love from danger, what is that important to you that Itachi hasn't taken away?"

That last sentence would echo throughout Sasuke's revenge-focused mind for 5 months, straight through to the Chuunin Exams.

The story continues when the Chuunin Exams grow near.


End file.
